So I've embarked on the honing journey and at first found the waters quite choppy!
I had an old boker that was in fair condition, but had been honed to hell and back, and decided it would be a good one to learn on. Using the polish Wojtec hones, and some 600 grit sandpaper to work out a nice chip, I worked for days, (yes days), struggling to get to HHT sharpness. Then the breakthrough....

I bought a German 2-sided paddle strop on ebay with one side pre-pasted in Cromium oxide. Surely this would get me shaving sharp!

But sadly, to my dismay, even passes on the green side of the paddle wouldn't do it. So I somehow decided the razor needed too much work and set it aside. For my next experiment, I pulled a PRISTINE Joseph Rodgers 5/8 out of my small collection. This one I'd bought at an antique store, and had quite a sharp edge one her when purchased. It wasn't HHT sharp, or shaving, but was REALLY close. I gave her a short 5-5, 1-5, 1-3 pyramid on the slate and arkansas, and then took her to the pasted paddle. ALMOST THERE. So I decided to forgo the slate altogether, and polish her out on the arkansas. 20 laps on the Ark, and then 20 on the pasted paddle, and WHAM! Popping hairs in the HHT like nobody's business!!! Still haven't had the chance to shave test, but am stoked beyond words that I got a razor to pass the HHT.

I am an EXTREME NOOB with the hone and whatnot, but have somehow stumbled into a process that seems might allow me to refresh my razors at the very least. Awesome!

So if she's not shaving sharp, should I start with Arkansas again, or the paddle/paste?? (Always another question for you guys.) Do you think it's wise to simply avoid the slate hone once I get a razor decently sharp?